New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-01-19
THE DRAMA-MU5IC.
THE TANNING OF rHE sHREw.

original FORM and In that form it has never before been
presented upon tho American stage. Many lines oil the
original indeed were not spoken. No one OF Shake
speares plays is given upon the stage, or ever
should DO given there word tor word. as shakespeare
wrote it, judicous excelsior rejects both tho Ian
guage that coarse and the language that was written
TO supply the place of scenic illustration and in this
way insures refinement and reasonable expedition. If
@Nacbelhy and q Lear were to be performed OK
acy as they stand in the poets text the public would
have to see the horrible slaughter of Macdufs" chill
dren and the barbarous gouging out OF Gloster's
eyes, Ii Richard ILL.," were to DO spoken exactly as
ia written performance OF 1t would last all night
Mr.. DAILY has cut The Tanning OF the Shrew in such
a way as to exclude vulgarity aud to avoid tedious
ness. His version retains The Induction" blending
with it the first act the comedy and condenses the
other tour acts into threethoogh last night his third
act was cut in two by a curtain after the wedding
scene few words and e1pedents in the jOinture of
parts are taken Garricks old arrangement OF the
play-an arrangement which turned 1t into three act
farce, and which. in a modified form. has ever since
kept its place in our theatre. Edwin Booth for
pe many years ago. altered the Garrick version tor
his own use and he still presents It, under the OF
Katherine and Petruchio y; and Lawrence Barrett,
Frederick Warde, and other actors have adopted mis-
work and followed his example, 1t Is contended-and
the weight both of fact and learned opinion in favor
of the proposton-that the only in this comedy
that entirely and exclusively the work OF Shake
speare are those III which Katherine, Petruchio
and tirumO are conspicuous figures Shakespeare,
undoubtedly, revamped earlier play; but while
writing in now scenes he retouched all the rest-sO
that his spirit IL impressed every part OF the COM
position. Mr. DAILY has reflected that the original form
of the poets work is worthy OF the stage, and, so
thinking he has utilized the essential substance OF IT,
in iour-a comedy, and set it before tho public in
better establishment than ever it had before. One OF
the Garrck expedents is the conversion OF the serv
ing-man Custsb into an old woman. This Is re-
tanned The Tanning" scenes are united. Due prOmi.
neuce is given to Lucento's" woong OF Blanca
and to the intrigue whereby it succeeds. There is
much good sport In Ilortensios rivalry OF Lucen-
ito" and in the justification andthe comic encounters
that resultant their diaguises and their polite
bcsegement of the citadel OF beauty and this rvulet
OF pleasure is made to run sparkling throughout the
whole OF Mr. Days play-book. The most striking
restoration, though Is that OF the preude-thc droil
Induction" In which the facetiOus but philosoph:c
English lord, finding Christopher Sly" drank and
asleep in front Of the ale house, causes this atered
sot be carried INTO palace bathed, richly attired,
and persuaded that he Is wealthy nobleman who has
only now recovered from crazy dream OF pot mouse
was lkened by Hazlitt to Sancho PaDza and surely
he possesses much OF SaDchos unconscious humor,
quaint sagacty and ndurated comic eartniness. on
by my side and let the world slip; we shall neer be
yOungerw cries the philosopher. lis very excel
lent piece of work, madam lady would 'twere done y
Those phrases aoLeso redoent OF character, so far
reaching ia ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS wei make MIN ilinoE-
Mr. DAILY has deserved the gratitude of all true dew
occs of Shakespeare by restoring this wise toperto
his rightful place in stage publicity. The lnduc-
ton gwen in q front scene. painting shows the
ale.h Duse on Burton Heath or at Wincot.' This
drawn away reveal the rich chamber IN the iorcs
house ana when Sly is duly installed there. Tor the
purpose OF seeing the play, two great curtains are
arted to disclose the Public Place at Padua, in
which The Tanning OF the Shrew begins. This pre-
Jude flashed the stage last night, like ray OF
sunshine. Mr.. William Gilbert is happy not only in
ample technical skl and in tine artistic instinct that
keeps hun from yelling for long upon the completed
point. but especially IN temperament disuhctNey
and richly humorous He can be droll without effort
and he was surpassingly droll AS Christopher Sly.
Nothing funnier could well be imagined than this
comedians gradual assumption OF lordly staIe-his
eonlpaccncy, his comic gravity. bis mood OF the
philosope making TIE best OF the fortune 70 wncn
good amends - Is the pivotal line OF tins part and
Mr. G. bert spoke II with delicious effect.
Mr.. Daily has cast the piece with tine Judgment,
throughout There are twenty-sx persons in it, in
GLIDING the servants aud other auxilares There was
ment TO the uency and harmony of the representation.
Miss Rehan Ia admirable III Katharine For actors
the beneicence OF Shakespearian play consists III the
fact that it sets them free they breathe an nyigorang
nir they can be actual men and women. The ee-
meDtal feelings of human nature existent IN every hu-
man breast. find ample scope in the ShakesGcarlan
character Miss Rehan's representation OF katha-
riIe exhibited but one deicct-that IL did not give
the requisite hint OF any womln-ike soitness under
meath that vrago exteror-whch Is partly cultivated
therefore, little sudden and little insincere-at the
end act fourth but the portraiture OF katha-
rino ~ vixen was magnificent. Inc earlier scenes
were carried with splendid energy. Miss hehan has
had the subtle impulse make the dress OF the shrew
correspond with the temperament. Her katharine
ia rcd-hared and high cOored. and like fierce and
scorchius flame Mir Drew will, probably augment
in his periotance OF Petruchio the element OF yio
lence-,hc dashing manner, the formidable mood OF
menace the air OF danger But he kept his action well
within the restraint of comedy. and ne was equally
graceful. natural buoyant. and pr dominant. III was
very thoughtful and very brilliant piece OF acting
The dry droilery and comic loquaclty OF
Grumio" found humorous and admirable expression
In the acting of Mr.. james Lewis. Detailed coment
upon the acting IL, however, reserved. me complete
ness of the general scrupulous at
tenion detail the great beauty and harmony OF CO.'S
tunes the costly and often gorgeous scenic ucces-
sories and the high and generous spirit OF the whole
producon-impressed every thoughtful observer;
and the final effect that fingers in memory Is
that OF o thoughtful, adequate and noble render
ing OF a delightful ShaLespcarlan play The sue
cess Of the night would have been placed be-
yond question By the acting OF Miss kehan Alone
There were many Indications Of the sympathy and
delight of the audience. Miss Rehan had voeiierous
greeting and a special recall in Katharine . drst
scene with Petruchio." Miss Dreher, vision OF
beauty IA Blanca part that she made as grace
full modest and witchng as 1t stands in Shakespeare
had also special recall after the fine comic scene
with the two disguised suitors And after the third
curtain fell the entire company was called out amid
plaudts of demonstraye satisfaction; nor would the
house rest satisfied until Mr. DAILY likewise had ac.
knovledged its summons and accepted its cordial
tribute for a Shakespearan production as careful.
tasteful aud opuent our stage has nown.
HISTORY OF THE ACTING OF THE PLAY
In accordance with the praise example he set
when he last revived shakcspcarian comedy, Augusn
Daily has had privately printed the arrangement of the
flaming OF the sh.ew" which he produced 50 success
fully last night As Mr.. DAILY himself has pointed out,
this revival possesses additional interest from the fact
that for the time this play is given In this coun
try In anything approaching its complete form,
From the Introduction to my version which has been
written by william Winter" said Mr.. DAILY yesterday
some interesting facts may be CLEANED relative to the
history OF the play It appeared In the folio OF
1923 II. was first acted by shakespearos own
company at the Blackfriars, tho Newngton Butts
and the Globe Theatres condensed version by David
Garrick under tho title of Katherine and Petruchio'
was produced at Drury Lane In March, 1854, and pub
lished two years later This version has formed tho
foundation for all subsequent productions two.